Eagle Worked with Tom Cruise and Crew to Make ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Soar

Navy Aerial Advisor Capt. Brian Ferguson works with actor Tom Cruise
Navy Aerial Advisor Capt. Brian Ferguson (’93) works with actor Tom Cruise on staging a complex aerial scene in “Top Gun: Maverick.” (Photo: Scott Garfield)

Kim SheeterKim Sheeter /

Jul 14, 2022, 4:09 PM

For more than a year, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University alumnus Capt. Brian “Ferg” Ferguson (’93) helped a new batch of cinematic aviators get it right in “Top Gun: Maverick.” From answering questions about uniform patches (leave them on the carrier during a mission) to how to get yelled at by an admiral (keep your eyes front), this Eagle coached the cast and crew for the summer’s hit film.

He recounts advising lead actor Tom Cruise, who he says was very engaged in the process, and choosing young lieutenant pilots to fly fighter jets in the movie, showing the U.S. Navy’s talent to a worldwide audience.

Read the full story in "Lift" magazine.

Posted In: Aviation